Ouch! Back to back snowstorms sounds a bit grim. Bad enough when we had a severe hail storm or three last month. Tomorrow we are expecting 45C, the hottest day of the year so far. I hope I didn't speak too soon in my last post, as maximum temperatures of 45C or worse are not really very pleasant in summer to endure. It helps to kill fish & promotes algae blooms in rivers out west, not to mention the effect it has on crops and animals alike. So this is why Australia is most heavily populated around its coastline where the sea breezes moderate the weather somewhat.

Did anyone hear any news that the Earth's magnetic pole in the north has shifted rapidly from Canada northwards to Siberia?

Meanwhile, we're looking at the coldest weather of the season so far this weekend, about -20C. That's not unusual at all, and in fact is later than usual. Forecasts vary as to whether we'll have clear skies for the lunar eclipse.

Another large snowstorm is poised to move across the central US, so (like the last one about a week ago), areas south of here will get lots of snow while we have almost none at all.

A sure sign of spring: the sun set today at 5pm, the first time since November 3 it has set so late in the evening.

I'd read about the pole shift, wagga. The most interesting part to me is that the movement appears to be accelerating.

I really must try to be more consistant with this thing.
The aforementioned cold is moving over as I am typing this. If only I were one of those lucky beasts who can hibernate.
The weather folks are predicting wind chills just to the north at -35F, to -40F below. Just to the south, we have 6, to 9 inches of snow predicted for the next day.
I'm Surrounded
Anyone else remember the common saying in summer when those of us in the American Mid-West can relate to wagga? "It's not the heat, it's the humudity?" I seem to notice the inverse of this when we have these nice bone chilling cold days. The air just likes to draw the moisture from the skin. I have found a quick remedy in super glue. Just hold the cracked area closed, and apply. Carefully I might add as didgits glued together make typing most difficult.

I recall that phrase, Puddleglum, and have been known to use it in times of summer 'air you can wear.'

The big snowstorms continue to pass south of here, and we've received a paltry 11 inches/280mm this winter so far, much less than half of average.

But January will try to live up to its reputation as a cold month, with highs this weekend trying to reach 0F/-17C and wind chills pushing -40F/C north of here.

I'm surprised to see blizzard warnings northwest of here, but lots of wind is on the way. They must have more snow than we do.

A sure sign of spring: the sun set today at 5pm, the first time since November 3 it has set so late in the evening.

When you first posted the above comment, I happened to notice that evening the sun set here at 8.00 pm, Daylight Saving Time. I am not sure that this is actually a harbinger of autumn arriving, as though the weather is a bit nicer today than it has been, the heat is not over yet, and we still have a month of summer to go before it moderates. Last year it wasn't really cool until after April.

I'd read about the pole shift, wagga. The most interesting part to me is that the movement appears to be accelerating.

Yes, it does seem a startlingly rapid change of direction, and I am curious to understand why, and what are the implications. It must have happened beforehand, but how frequently? What I would like to really know is, how does this magnetic pole shift affect the Magnetic South Pole? On 1/1/2007 it was somewhere around Cape Adare in Antarctica, we were told.

Temps are dropping again. We are told to expect a high next Wednesday of -1F.
On the upside the heater is working in the vehicle. Yep. It's nice and warm by the time I pull into the parking lot at work.
We had wind chill advisories all over today. 20-25mph gusts with wind chills into the minus teens F. I did however brave the cold long enough to get a rather nice photo on the cell phone of a sun dog. If I can manage it later I will try to post it.

wagga, the poles seem to move around based on what's happening in the earth's core, and as I understand it the rate is variable. I think it's coming to everyone's attention now due to the widespread use of digital navigation equipment (as opposed to the old days when it was primarily a military or government use).

The forecasts for how cold it will be this week just keep getting colder.
We may see temperatures we haven't seen since 1996. The current forecast high temperature Wednesday is -13F/-25C. And the lows...well, those will be really invigorating! Just hope the car starts. It may not get above 0F/-17C again until Saturday.

They're predicting a high of -11F/-24C in Chicago Wednesday, matching the all-time coldest high for any date there. (The coldest high here that I can recall was -17F/-27C back in February 1996).

Puddleglum, I've seen a few nice sundogs lately too.

Er, um.... What are sundogs? Are they animal, vegetable or mineral? Something to do with the Aurora Borealis? Or a cold-weather phenomenon?

It now is the official holiday Monday of, up to now, an extremely hot Australia Day long weekend. Yesterday we were treated to North to South, an SBS travel program which takes the viewer from Auckland to Wellington, on the North Island in New Zealand, crossing Cook's Strait to traverse the South Island right down to that country's Fiordland. There have been several similar Australian-made programs of late, not only travelling on Australia's two longest train lines, such as the Ghan, & the Indian Pacific. But also these programs include a cruise around the coast of Western Australia's Kimberley region, from Broome, up to Darwin in Northern Territory or a trip among the canal boats in Southern England, probably in Spring or what they call summer there. Such programs are almost as good as actually going on these trips when it is too hot even to go outside until evening, with maximum temperatures up to 37C & 42C, & walking anywhere else is like walking through a furnace. Today is also the end of our Christmas Holidays.

Tomorrow it is the start of the school year, the political year, and going back to work for most people who haven't already done so. 0F or -17C does sound really bracing & enjoyable when tomorrow's maximum is going to be back up to 37C. Even so, I think I'd still give Chicago a miss right now.

wagga, the poles seem to move around based on what's happening in the earth's core, and as I understand it the rate is variable.

So the North magnetic pole might not align neatly with the South magnetic pole, then, as we would imagine it to be when we look at a globe of the world? I like your explanation of why it has been more a military or government matter beforehand, when SatNavs & other GPS navigation systems were not as frequent car accessories, not to mention the other digital equipment used today. But then we have always used compasses, even for fun.

Sundogs (also called mock suns or parhelia, are atmospheric effects caused by ice crystals at certain angles relative to the sun (more here, including pictures). I've seen them at various times of the year but they seem most common (and spectacular) when it's really cold.

They are just one of a family of spectacular halo effects that can appear around the sun when conditions are right. Others are halos, arcs, and the circumzenithal arc - which I've rarely seen and is glorious.

I failed to mention the big snowstorm headed our way...some lucky locations may get over 10 inches (254mm) of powder snow today and tonight, before the big cold moves in.

wagga, still mighty warm in your corner of the world, wow.

I enjoyed a spectacular Sundog the other morning as the sun was rising. Very bright and large. What a sight! They are always a treat. I would love to see your Sundog photos, Friend Wiggle, if you have a minute to post it.

That snowstorm is hitting our area tomorrow, stargazer, probably late morning into Tuesday. Lots of snow and blowing, ushering in frigid cold ... -18C/0.4F on Wed during the day, but that is not including the windchill, which could make it feel closer to -35/-31F. And even colder that night. Winter is here!

So far our forecasts have been playing this little game where they predict snow a week in the future... and then change their minds as the projected snow-day approaches and say it will rain. SUPER ANNOYING for people such as myself who have been waiting for snow since before Christmas.
Now, however, the meteorologists seem to have tired of this game. Now they're getting daring. THEY ARE PREDICTING SNOW TOMORROW!!!!
Ahem. Sorry for screaming.
Anyway, they're predicting up to 2 inches of snow overnight, which is quite a blizzard for where I live. Finally we have a better chance at snow; it's too late for the weathermen to change their minds!!

Much apologies friend hobbit. But I must await the more expert advise of the Mrs. on how to post the photo.
Friend wagga. You have my applause It is indeed more fun to use the old compass. To much of that new fangled gadgetry today.
I recall an old Scoutmaster telling me how he took his Troop for a long hike. Two of them did not bring a compass, nor maps. Instead they each had a GPS. He allowed it on the condition that they showed him how they worked once they were well on their way. Halfway to the destination he asked to see the gizmos. They eagerly explained the functions, and what-not as he handled their toys. He then popped the batteries out, and asked them to now show the Troop the rest of the way.
Fortunatly for the Troop he still had a compass.
Weather wise, I just finished moving about four, to five inches of the light fluffy stuff. Well. Maybe a little more if you count where the snow plow pushed it back onto the sidewalk that I had just shoveled.
The cold is indeed bracing friend wagga. The wind adds to that a bit with -30F or less windchill. Ah, for that nice cup of tea. Not just to drink mind you. wrapping chilly fingers around the cup feels nice too.

If I didn't have a compass, I'd just remember the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Or just decide that whatever way I'm going HAS to be the right way and leave it at that.

And talking about stupid weather forecasts, I check our forecast online every so often, but more for the temperatures than the conditions, because one time it said there was going to be light rain with 0% chance of precipitation...

Well, we were just barely south of the big polar vortex that's freezing the northeast USA and Canada. Our high today was 26F, but that's a heat wave compared to everybody else north of us.

The irony is that immediately after this we're going to have one of those middle-of-winter warm ups. It's going to be almost 70F on Sunday. It won't last long though. We'll cool right back down to normal winter temps shortly thereafter.

@Fantasia Kitty: I'm glad the Polar Vortex didn't get quite down to Kansas & that this phenomenon possibly mightn't last even in affected places. On last night's news the below -30C temperatures in Chicago & in particular, the -48C predicted in today's headlines, sound horrific. Even worse than what is normal in Antarctica!

@johobbit, yes it has been warm, with today the coolest it has been for a while. I actually woke up shivering this morning & wondering why? Best of luck with that Polar Vortex! We are getting the idea that Chicago is today the coldest place on the planet, worse even than normal Antarctic temperatures & it is too cold even to breathe too deeply there. It is now February 1st, otherwise known as Imbolc or Candlemas, half-way to your Spring Equinox, & I expect that in Canada & Northern USA will be too snowed under for that groundhog to go looking for its shadow, or whatever it does.

They are just one of a family of spectacular halo effects that can appear around the sun when conditions are right. Others are halos, arcs, and the circumzenithal arc - which I've rarely seen and is glorious.

I suspect that these sundogs or maybe the circumzenithal effect you describe might be what was meant by "The Sun in Splendour". Apparently, Edward IV, one of England's three Yorkist Kings of the 1470's & 1480's, took the Sun in Splendour as his emblem when such an effect appeared during a War of the Roses battle which he & his army won. There may be similar effects down here, but I'm sure that you would have to be either in Antarctica, itself, or in Southern Chile or Patagonia to get any idea of what they look like.

If I didn't have a compass, I'd just remember the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Or just decide that whatever way I'm going HAS to be the right way and leave it at that.

Yes the Sun does set in the west & rises in the east. But it depends where you are on the planet & what time of the year. The Sun reaches its furthest point north over the Tropic of Cancer about June 21st & its furthest point south, over the Tropic of Capricorn on December 21st, the two Solstices. So what you think might be due west or due east could be more accurately, West South West & East South East. In Antarctica the Sun doesn't set at all on New Year's Eve. It just hangs above the horizon at Midnight & my Scottish-born husband talks about it being still daylight until well beyond 9.00 pm in the northern midsummer equivalent.

It gets more complicated of a night time. To find due north I believe it is necessary to find the Pole Star on a starry night. To find due South down here you follow the Pointers, two stars in a line, off to the left hand side of the Southern Cross, which dominates the Southern Hemisphere skies. If you want to know what the Southern Cross looks like, take a look at the national flags of Australia, New Zealand & Papua Niugini among others.